Switch



Nov. 23, 1943.

E. T. PLATZ V SWITCH AFiled July 18, 1942 A TTORN Y Patented Nov. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH Elwood T. Platz, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Bulldog Electric Products Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of West Virginia.

Application July 18, 1942,Scrial No. 451,432 10 claims. '(cl. zoo- 116) rIlhis application relates to circuit breakers.

The circuit breaker hereof is arranged for auvided with a lock for holding it in open circuit position, the pushing in of the button and the subsequent locking of the button will enable the breaker to be used as a manually operable switch.

The breaker hereof is shown in Figs. 1-3 of the appended drawing, in three different positions respectively, on, manual "oif, and tripped The drawing shows a breaker comprising a casing I having a slot II through which slides the support part I2 of a two part unit or slide. The support has its lower end in the form'of an exposed push button Il and its upper endguided by means of a guide strap I5 secured to the casing. A notch I6 in the side of the support is adapted to cooperate with an edge of the casing slot I I for determining an elevated position of the slide, for circuit open or olii That notch may be used, only if it is desired to use the push button for opening the circuit and keeping it open, as in a switch. It may be omitted to leave the device nothing more than a cutout.

The lowered position of the slide is its closed circuit or on position. It is determined by the other part of the slide; a contactor 20, pivotally mounted at 2I on the support, and having a contact end 22 for engaging a stationary contact 23, which forms an out-movement stop for the slide. The contactor has a bimetal strip 24, riveted at 25 to the remainder of the contactor; the strip has a, hook or latch portion 26 disposed. within an opening of the support, an edge 21 of that opening being engaged by an edge of the hook 2B to form a holding means for the latch 26. A coiled compression spring 28 has one end 29 seated on a lug of the casing and its other or lower end engages the contactor 20. A ilexible'connector 30 connects the free end of the bimetal strip 24 with a load terminal 3|. A resetting stop 32 is provided on the casing.

The operation of the breaker is as follows:

In the event of an automatic latch release, 4due to warping of the bimetal on overload, the latch releases from the holding means`21 whereupon the spring 28 will rock the contactor counterclockwise to open the circuit at 22-23, the slide at that time remaining stationary in the closed circuit position. For restoring service, the button is moved upwardly to the open circuit position whereupon the contactor engages the casing stop 32 to be rocked clockwise and relatch itself to the support which at that time is in the open circuit position. On release of the button, the spring 28 moves the slide to circuit closed position.

For switching action, notch I 6 is provided. The slide (support contactor) may be pushed upwardly, against spring 28, to open the circuit at 22- 23; by registering notch I6 of support I2 with the edge of slot II, and by sluiting the support sidewise slightly, to dispose notch I6 around the edge of the casing slot, the slide will be held in the circuit open position by spring 28. To close the circuit, support I2 is shifted sidewise to free notch I6 from casing slot I I, and spring 28 will move the slide to circuit closing position, with contactor 20 stopped against contact 23 under spring pressure.

It will be observed that the support does not rock overcenter, but rather slides, and the spring means therefore constantly biases the parts, when the latch is not released, to closed circuit position, and at no time, when the latch holds, does the spring bias the slide to open circuit position.

Now having described the breaker hereof reference should lbe had to the claims which follow.

I claim: v f

1. A breaker comprising a casing, a stationary contact, a support mounted to move in the casing and actuated by an exposed handle arranged tol be pushed in manually from closed circuit position, and thereafter released, for each and every complete cycle of operations, closed to open to closed, means for holding the support when its handle is pushed in manually and arranged for releasing the support on a release manipulation of the handle,

spring means for constantly outwardly biasing the support to closed circuit position when it is manually released and arranged to be overcome manually when the handle is pushed inwardly, a contactor mounted on the support, the spring means biasing the contactor against the contact in closed circuit or rest position when the support is not held inwardly, the contact and the handle holding means dening two rest positions of the support, the contactor being movably mounted on the support, latch means interlatching the contactor and support and arranged to hold on normal circuit conditions but to release automatically on a circuit abnormality, means for releasing the latch, said spring means biasing the contactor to move relative of the support on latch release for circuit opening, and te engage the contact when the latch holds, and a stop for engaging the released contacter, when the support is moved inwardly after latch release, for relatching the centactor and support in open circuit position.

2. In a breaker. a casing, a stationary contact, a movable unit having a supportand a contacter as parts thereof, spring means constantly biasing the unit outwardly, with the contacter against the contact, for circuit closing, the centact thus forming an out-movement stop for the unit, manually releasable means for holding the unit, when it is pushed inwardly manually i'er circuit opening and the spring means overcome, the unit then being held inwardly, with its contacter remote from the contact, the contacter being movably mounted on the support of the.

unit te move with respect thereto, means releasably interlatching the support and contacter so that normally they move in unison, but the contacter may move free of the support en latch release, said spring means moving the contacter, free of the held support, on latch release, away from the contact, for circuit opening, and means for releasing the latch, said spxing'means censtantly biasing the unit, when its parts are interlatched, to closed circuit position, except when inhibited manually.

3. In a breaker, a casing, a stationary contact, a movable unit having a support and a contacter as parts thereof, spring means constantly biasing the unit outwardly, with the contacter against the contact, for circuit closing, the contact thus forming an out-movement step for the unit, manually releasable means for holding the unit, when its handle is pushed inwardly manually for circuit opening and the spring overcome, the unit then being held inwardly, with its contacter remote from the contact, the unit holding means engaging the support part of the slide, with release of the means and support being effected by movement of the support transverse to its normal movement, inwardly for circuit opening, and outwardly for circuit closing, the contacter being movably mounted on the support to move with respect thereto, means releasably interlatching the support and contacter so that normally they move in unison, but the contacter may move free of the support en latch release, said spring means moving the contacter, free of the held support, en latch release, away from the contact.

4. In a breaker, a casing, a. stationary contact, a movable unit having a support and a contacter as parts thereof, spring means constantly biasing the unit outwardly with the contacter against the contact for circuit closing, the contact thus forming an out-movement step for the unit, manually releasable means for holding the unit, when its handle is for circuit opening and the spring overcome, the unit thenbeing held inwardly, with its contacter remote from the Contact, the contacter being movably mounted on the support to move with respect thereto, means releasably interlatching the support and contacter so that normally they move in unison, but the contacter may move free el the support on latch release, said spring means moving the contacter, free of the held support, on latch release, away from the, contact, for circuit opening, means for releasing the latch, and

a stop for engaging the released contacter, when the support is pushed inwardly after latch release, for relatching the contacter and support in open circuit position.

pushed inwardly manually 5. In a breaker, a casing, a stationary contact, a movable unit having a support and a contacter vas parts thereof, spring means constantly biasing the unit outwardly, with the. contacter against the contact, for circuit closing, the contact thus forming an out-movement stop for the unit, manually releasable means for holding the unit, when its handle is pushed inwardly manually for circuit opening and the spring overcome, the unit then being held inwardly, with its contacter remote from the contact, the unit holding means engaging the support part of the slide, with release of the means and support being efl'ected by movement of the support transverse to its normal movement, inwardly for circuit opening, and outwardly for circuit closing, the contacter being movably mounted on the support to move with respect thereto, means releasably interlatching the support and contacter so that normally they move in unison, but the contacter may move i'ree of the support on latch release, said spring means moving the contacter, free of the held support, on latch release, away from the contact, and a stop for engaging the released contacter, when the support is pushed inwardly after latch release, for relatching the contacter and support in open circuit position.

6. A circuit breaker;` comprising a support, a contacter movably mounted thereon and interlatched thereto, spring means constantly biasing the support and contacter to move to closed circuit position when they are relatively latched and biasing the contacter alone to move to and remain in open circuit position when it and the support are relatively unlatched, a relatching step, and an actuator manually accessible for moving the support to open circuit position and the contacter te said stop for relatchingv them relatively, with the circuit open and for stressing the spring means the release of the actuator then permitting the stressed spring means to move the relatched support and contacter to closed circuit position.

7. A circuit breaker comprising a support, a contacter movably mounted thereon and interlatched thereto, spring means constantly biasing the supportand contacter to move to closed circuit position when they are relatively latched and biasing the contacter alone to move to and remain in open circuit position when it and the support are relatively unlatched, a relatching stop, and an actuator manually accessible for moving the support to open circuit position and the contacter to said stop for relatching them relatively, with the circuit open and for stressing the spring means the release of the actuator then permitting the stressed spring means to move the relatched support and contacter t0 closed circuit position, the actuator being movable to overcome the spring means and move the support and contacter as a unit te open circuit position when they are relatively interlatched.

8. A circuit breaker comprising a support` a contacter movably mounted thereon and interlatched thereto, spring means constantly biasingy the s port and contacter te move to closed circuit 1xosition when they are relatively latched 'and biasing the contacter alone to move to and remain in open circuit position when it and the support are relatively unlatched, a relatching step, and an actuator'manually accessible for moving the support to open circuit position and the contacter to said stop for relatching them with the circuit open and for stressing means the release of the actuator then relatively, the spring permitting the stressed spring means to move the relatched support and contacter to closed circuit position, the actuator being movable te overcome the spring means and move the support and centacter asa unit to open circuit position when they are relatively interlatched, and means for holding the support and contacter in .open circuit position when they areso moved.

9. A circuit breaker comprising a support, a contacter movably mounted thereon and interlatched thereto, spring means constantly biasing the support and contacter to move to closed circuit position When they are relatively latched and biasing `the contacter alone te move te and remain in open circuit position when it andthe support are relatively unlatched, a relatching stop, and an actuator manually accessible for moving the support to open circuit position and the contacter to said stop for relatching them. relatively, with the circuit open and for stressing the spring means the release ef the actuator then permitting the stressed spring means to move the relatched support and contacter te closed circuit position, the actuator being a push button, arranged to be pushed in fer interlatching the support and contacter.

10. A circuit breaker comprising a support, a contacter mevably mounted thereon and interlatched thereto, spring means constantly biasing the support and contacter to move to closed circuit position when they are relatively latched and biasing the contacter alone to move to and remain in open circuit position when it and the support are relatively unlatched, a relatching stop and an actuator manually accessible for moving the support to open circuit position and the centactor to said step for relatching them relatively, with the circuit open and for'stressing the spring means the release of the actuator then permitting the stressed spring means to move the relatched support and contacter to closed circuit position, the actuator being movable to overcome the spring means and move the support and centactor as a unit to open circuit position when they are relatively interlatched, the actuator being a push button, arranged to be pushed in for interlatching the support and contacter, and for moving them as a unit te open circuit pesition.

ELWOOD T. PLATZ. 

